One Ring Trip to Middle Earth
by Reddragon86
Summary: Harry Potter, seasoned auror, Girl Who Lived, Champion of Hogwarts, Holyharpies mega fan, falls into another adventure during an investigation. The only thing surprising is that life still continues to surprise her. Mainly a drable series. Definitely canon divergent for both series.


"Do you think we'll be invited to stay for lunch?"

Harry looked back at Ron. Typical.

It had been over a decade since they had set foot on Hogwarts grounds, and a year on top of that since they had feasted in the Great Hall, and Ronald clearly hadn't forgotten. With how much had changed since the fall of Voldemort, it was nice that some constants could be counted on. Hogwarts and its endless buffet of rich foods and Ron's endless appetite to match it.

"It's likely, as long as the meeting doesn't run long we should be getting out just in time for lunch. Professor McGonagall would love to have us I'm sure."

Harry didn't particularly want to stay at Hogwarts longer than necessary, there were too many eyes following her and too many memories, but if it made Ron happy she could bear it. She wouldn't mind some treacle tarts either.

They had been assigned to visit Hogwarts by the head auror. Recently, there had been reports of strange objects appearing and then subsequently disappearing in both Hogsmeade and Hogwarts Grounds. Not so many instances to attract the attention of the Daily Prophet, but enough to get the staff and more aware citizens of Hogsmeade concerned. As two of the younger aurors in the Ministry, and also the two least likely to cause suspicion with their presence at Hogwarts, Ron and she had been asked to drop in and see if they could get any leads on what was happening.

"A sword, some strange fruits, a good sized boulder, a horse- I can't make sense of it. Surely they must be coming from the same place? Why appear now? Hogwarts has had its fair share of odd occurrences but this is just bizarre."

"Mhm, yeah you're right…" Ron trailed off, gazing at the gates they could see in the distance. He'd been more and more absent minded lately. She wondered how much longer he would remain an auror. Between Hermione's career in the Ministry beginning to take more and more of her time, their ever growing family, and George requesting more and more help with Weasleys' Wizards Wheezes, it was only a matter of time before Ron (more likely though, Hermione) realized his time could be better spent somewhere else. Somewhere not as intense and safer. Ron's heart had never really been in the work to begin with, she would be sad to see him go, but it was for the best if he resigned. It would be good for him and their family.

Harry wondered how much longer she could stay on as an auror. It felt like she had been one for ages, but thinking of doing anything else seemed like a betrayal to the Wizarding World. This is what she had wanted in her fourth year at Hogwarts and what all of magical Britain had expected of her since that fateful Halloween in 1981. She was good at her job. If she stayed maybe one day soon she would be the head auror.

They were past the gates now, passing a newer groundskeeper hut. Bigger than Hagrid's Old hut, but it still had the same charm.

Her eyes were trailing over pumpkin patch out front when a sudden glimmer caught her eye.

She stopped.

"Did you see that?"

"Wha?" Ron had not noticed she had stopped and now had turned back to face her.

"That glimmer right there, on top of the big lumpy pumpkin. The one with the big dark spot that looks like a quaffle."

As she was saying this she drew her wand and approached the pumpkin.

"It looks like gold. Jewelry?" She said as she cast a basic diagnostic spell. Nothing. But it was definitely gold.

"Its a ring! It just appeared, I saw it. Get your watch out, we need to observe how long it stays here."

Ron, a few paces behind her, fumbled to get his watch out with his wand in one hand.

"It's got some sort of strange writing along the side, not a language I recognize." Maybe Hermione would know. Hopefully the ring stuck around long enough for her to grab a picture. There is no way her chicken scratch handwriting would be able to replicate the smooth, cursive like lettering running along the sides of the ring.

As she leaned in to view it, her boot caught the root of a pumpkin and she fell forward, falling towards the pumpkin. Luckily, years of quidditch and auror training luckily saved her from an unlucky collision- twisting to the side she managed to just barely graze the side of the pumpkin in her fall to earth.

The series of events that followed happened in a split second to Ron, but those seconds stretched like minutes to Harry. As her back hit the ground she looked up to see that the ring had been launched into the air and was on its decent directly towards her outstretched arm. The ring seemed to hang into the air, hovering over her hand comically. Unluckily, the quidditch reflexes that saved her from the collision before now backfired. Instinctively Harry's hand reached out and plucked the golden ring from the air in front of her, halting its decent. It was warmer to the touch than it had any right to from laying outside on a November day.

Harry looked from her clasped hand towards Ron.

But it was not Ron's eyes she met. It was a pair of shining grey eyes, under long grey eyebrows and above a matching grey beard. She was reminded of Dumbledore and Aberforth. And to his left, a small child? No. Maybe a dwarf? No, the features were much too soft and cherubic. Under the brown curly mop of hair that put her own to shame were very adult features, just on a much smaller body.

And there was a smell. Something was burning? It was with this thought that she became aware of the heat. The very intense heat. That was coming through her robes and burning her skin. Merlin's beard she was in a fireplace! The ring must have been some sort of portkey or connection to a floo network. She scrambled to get out of the fireplace, wordlessly casting a charm to dispel the flames and right her robes.

The Dumbledore look alike and the small man looked at her with what she imagined the same amount of surprise her own face must have been showing. To think, a careless fall in a pumpkin patch and she's floo'd herself into some poor sod's house.

"Sorry about this! Auror Potter with the Ministry of Magic. I'm not sure how I got here, I was investigating this ring's appearance and accidentally touched it- I believe it brought me here. Unless you know something about this ring that could help with my investigation, I will apparate out of here if you could let me know where it is I am. And of course the Ministry will reimburse you for any inconvenience I may have brought on you both!" She quickly rushed out while trying to smile apologetically.

They didn't seem to understand a single word she said. Maybe they didn't understand English. Or worse, maybe they were muggles. _Not dressed like that they aren't, _she thought to herself.

"Do either of you recognize this ring?"

She held out the ring.

The old man and small man gasped. Quickly, in a move far more agile than a man his age should be able to accomplish, the old, grey man pulled a staff from behind him and knocked the ring out of her hand and onto the floor. The smaller man dove for it.

"How did you get here! Who sent you here! How did you come to have the ring!" The old man had his staff raised to her neck threateningly. At least now she knew they spoke English. All the lights in the cozy home began to dim, and the darkness began to rise from behind him. _And now I know they are definitely not muggles. _

"I'm sorry- I just told you. I am auror Harry Potter from the Ministry of Magic. I was investigating a case when this ring appeared. I accidentally grabbed that ring and I believe it brought me here to your fireplace. I apologize for getting soot all over your floor. If you would please lower your staff I would be more than happy to answer any other questions you have."

And that is how Heather "Harry" Potter found herself in Middle Earth.

* * *

Thank you for taking the time to read this, I have been reading fanfiction for years and wanted to make my own tiny footprint. I anticipate this being more drable format than anything- if you have any suggestions or things you would like to see feel free to let me know!


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